Rymer urges peace as festival begins
As the the territory’s 70th emancipation festivities goes into full swing, Minister for Communication & Works Kye Rymer is urging the public to settle disputes in a non-violent manner.
While festival is a season of crowd-pulling celebration, it also attracts the consumption of alcohol, illicit substances and unwanted behaviours among some festival-goers. With the annual festivities having a history of such incidents, Rymer made an appeal for peace during the official opening of Rena’s Festiville on Monday.
“Whatever issue you have with somebody else, use a different means of trying to settle that argument,” Rymer stated. “Let’s be safe, put away the guns, enjoy ourselves, and have a good time.”
This message comes after two back-to-back shooting incidents over the weekend that resulted in one fatality and one hospitalisation.
Officials have indicated there will be a strong security presence, especially at the entrance of the festival grounds in Road Town, to ensure individuals do not bring weapons or contraband into the venue.
There have been multiple incidents of violence and unlawful activities around the time of the festival. Just last year alone, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) intervened in more than a dozen fights at the festival.
According to the RVIPF, police officers quashed 16 fights and confiscated both marijuana and cocaine, as well as a knife, during the first paid night of that year’s festival.
With the official opening of this year’s festiville, the season prepares for International Soca Night with a performance from Trinidadian soca artiste Machel Montano on July 30.
This year celebrates 70 years of culture and the 190th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Virgin Islands.
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He better fix the potholes and get people water to bathe. He is up there as one of the worse communication and Works Ministers.
Yall waited until things got this far with shootings and hitmen murdering people to come and simply talk about keeping peace asking them politely so stop?
you think bcuz you said please the drugman,streetman and gangster gonna stop? lol ok.
Put your efforts into looking into where these guns coming in from. The USA Aldry give you a tip that the syrian them sneaking them in in parts.
up to now i ain hear no action on that…
and MR. rhymer I see you got some of ur family youths there promoting their business
“Gas affiliation”… every time i see them videos is fast bikes doing crazy stunts, big chain, US dollars on their shirts and fast boats….
oh and lets not forget the duffle bag that gives off the vibes of famous coco shipments. hopefully them not using that to wash money.
I see the brand is very popular amongst the youths..i hope they are not sending the youths a wrong message with those videos of having a fast life
and btw for the older heads the youths refer to “gas” as weed/ marijuana btw
at least they dont have a setta weapons in them video like west bank record so kudos to them i guess
Is saying )> leh me put on meh pitiful
& innocence look , and hope them gunderleroes calm down so we can get our groove on for our emancipation , after that they can do all the flexing they want, who DeAd –
deAD
HEy , D man trying ) f AH TING . U forget he is a part of the rodeo gang , their coach ain’t here in body but the message from the script is still in effect or being followed by the coach’s humble servants
foll